Furniture pedestal



Dec. 14, 1965 c. R. POLLOCK 3,223,368

FURNITURE PEDESTAL Filed Nov. 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2

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FURNITURE PEDESTAL Filed Nov. 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fla 9 I ENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,223,368 FURNITURE PEDESTAL Charles R. Folloclt, 373 Henry St, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,130 Claims. (Cl. 248158) This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants copending application Serial Number 214,722, filed August 3, 1962, and entitled, Upholstered Furniture.

The present invention relates generally to furniture construction and more particularly to a pedestal for supporting a seat, table or other article above and underlying surface, which is of simple, functional design and of exceptional strength.

In upholstered furniture of traditional design, an elaborate framework is generally provided having legs attached thereto, with covered cushioning members being fitted into the frame and being supported thereby. Such furniture is inherently heavy and cumbersome. Moreover, its construction is relatively complicated and its manufacture entails a high order of manual skill. Traditional upholstered furniture of good quality is therefore quite expensive.

In the design of modern furniture, among the qualities sought for are lightness and simplicity combined with structural strength. Designers also usually seek to impart to modern pieces a sculptured effect wherein the contour of the furniture is expressive of its function. It is difiicult to attain these qualities with upholstered furniture and yet provide an adequate supporting structure. Thus with contoured furniture having cushioning it has been necessary to provide a contoured backing of high strength for the cushions, made for example of molded plastic reinforced wtih fiber glass. Such molded backings add substantially to the overall cost of the furniture.

In the aforementioned application Serial No. 214,722 provision has been made for a furniture structure wherein a plastic shell having a desired contour or configuration is supported peripherally by a continuous frame of high strength whereby lead stresses imposed on the shell are effectively distributed throughout the frame, rather than concentrated or localized in one section thereof, the frame in turn being securely mounted on a stanchion or other supporting means independent of the shell,

A significant feature of that invention is that all components of the furniture structure which require rigid anchoring, such as the arm rests, are attached to the frame and not to the shell, whereby the load imposed on the shell will in no way stress said attachments.

Structure of the above-described type may be quickly assembled and manufactured at relatively low cost.

The frame in such a construction is connected to a cross brace independent of the shell and the legs or other pedestal means are coupled to the cross brace.

The subject application pertains to the pedestal means disclosed in that application and to an improved embodiment thereof which can be used to support the seat disclosed therein or other suitable seat types, tables or other articles. The invention is disclosed in the form of a seat pedestal by way of example only-it being understood that other articles of furniture can readily be supported thereby.

The principal object of this invention therefore is to provide a rugged, artistic, light appearing furniture pedestal which can be economically manufactured and easily assembled without the requirement of special tools or skills.

A furniture pedestal and method of using the same is disclosed herein with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair using the furniture pedestal of this invention;

3,223,368 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 "ice FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a segmentary partially exploded view of the furniture pedestal;

FIG. 4 is a segmentary bottom plan view of the pedestal;

FIG. 5 is a section taken through the chair frame to illustrate the interconnection of the ends;

FIG. 6 is a segmentary partially expoded view of another embodiment of the furniture pedestal which is the subject of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional segmentary view of the collar means utilized for fastening together the quadrant pieces of the pedestal of FIG. 6;

FIG, 8 is a segmentary view of the pedestal shown in FIG. 6 fitted with a caster;

FIG. 9 is a segmentary view of the pedestal shown in FIG. 6 fitted with a glide rather than a caster; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the glide shown in FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in which a chair is shown and more particularly comprising a continuous frame 10, adapted to support a suitably contoured shell 11 to which is attached cushioning elements 12, 13 and 14. Element 12 is a seat. Element 13 is a lower back rest, and element 14 is an upper back rest. The frame is mounted on stanchion 15 by means of a cross brace 16 connected to the frame, the stanchion being anchored in star legs 17. Also attached to the frame are a pair of arm rests 18 and 19.

The frame rod is bent to conform continuously to the periphery of the shell, the ends of the rod being joined by suitable means such as plug 22 shown in FIG. 5 in slot 21.

Slot 20 is provided to receive the edge of and support shell 11 in the manner described in my copending application referred to above.

The ends of the cross brace member 16, which may be formed of aluminum, are bifurcated and also received within slot 21 of the frame and secured thereto by suitable means, such as described in my above referred to copending application.

Because of the fact that the shell is peripherally hung from the frame in the manner described, it need not be reinforced in any way,

The arm rests 18 and 19 are constituted by continuous loops of a suitable material and having a generally rectangular configuration, the lower side being secured to the frame 10.

The upper end of hollow stanchion 15 is received snugly within a circular boss 28 centrally fastened to the underside of the cross brace 16 and extending through a hole 29 in the shell 11. Thus the stanchion is independent of the shell and firmly supports the frame through the cross brace.

The four star feet 17 of the chair are respectively provided with quadrant pieces 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d, which fit together to form a cylinder which telescopes within the lower end of the stanchion pipe 15 and is locked therein by means of a collar 30. The quadrant pieces are further held together by means of cross staples 31 fitted into grooves such as groove 31a shown in FIG. 3. A groove is formed in the lowermost surface of each of the quadrants so that in assembly the grooves of opposed quadrants are aligned and the grooves are sufficiently deep to allow one staple to overlie the others as shown in FIG. 4.

An alternate means of attaching the quadrants in the pedestal is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein parts similar to parts shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 are given the same number with a prime following in FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the four star feet 17' are respectively provided with quadrant pieces 17'a, 17'b, 170, and 17cl. These quadrants are identical to the quadrants shown in FIG. 3. However, each is formed with an inner arcuate surface so that when the quadrants are placed together a central cylindrical opening 40 appears for receipt of a depending portion of a swivel element, such depending portion being indicated by the numeral 41 in FIG. 6. The swivel attachment is not illustrated in the figures since it is not part of the present invention.

The four quadrant pieces fit together to form a cylinder which telescopes within the lower end of the stanchion pipe such as stanchion pipe shown in FIGS. 1 and '2. The upper end of the cylinder is locked by means of a collar 30 similar to the collar shown in FIG. 3 and the quadrant pieces are further held together at their lower end by means of leg clamp ring 42.

The leg clamp ring is cylindrical at section 43 and tapered inwardly at its lower section 44. The central cylindrical opening 45 is uniform and when in position as shown in FIG. 7, has the same center line as hollow 40.

The cylindrical section 43 of leg clamp 42 which fits into the increased diameter section 46 of hollow 40 is provided with a plurality of threaded cylindrical openings 47 arranged on a circumference with each threaded slot disposed at an angle to the horizontal so that its axis is perpendicular to surface 48 of its respective quadrant and on the same axis as the respective slot 49 formed therein. Thus a capped screw 50 can be received by each slot 49 and threaded slot 47 to hold the lower end of the respective quadrant in position. In the figures the screws are provided with large diameter washers 51.

The outer end of each of the quadrant portions is provided with a slot 52 within which can be inserted portion 53 of a caster 54 or a portion 55 of a glide 56 which is held in the slot by any suitable means such as a press fit or fastener.

It will be appreciated that while the construction of the furniture pedestal chair is of the utmost simplicity, it is very strong and although illustrated herein as being used with a chair, it can be used to support other articles of furniture as Well.

Thus the object of the invention as specifically aforenoted has been achieved. Obviously, numerous changes and rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a furniture pedestal for supporting an article of furniture above a surface, said article of furniture having a brace member on the under side thereof with a depending cylindrical boss, the provision of a hollow cylindrical stanchion receiving said boss in the upper end thereof and integral quadrant leg pieces which fit together as a solid cylinder received within the lower end of said stanchion in telescoping relationship therewith, each of said quadrant pieces having attached to the lower end thereof a radially outwardly projecting support portion and a groove formed at the innermost portion of each of said support portions on the lowermost surface of the quadrant cylinder portion with the grooves of opposed quadrants aligned and a plurality of staples,

each of said staples having a portion in opposed grooves.

2. In a furniture pedestal for supporting an article of furniture above a surface, said article of furniture having a brace member on the under side thereof with a depending cylindrical boss, the provision of a hollow cylindrical stanchion receiving said boss in the upper end thereof and integral quadrant leg pieces which fit together as a cylinder received within the lower end of said stanchion in telescoping relationship therewith, a lower arcuate inner surface on each of said quadrants, a cylindrical bore formed in said cylinder by said arcuate surfaces having the same longitudinal axis as said stanchion, a downwardly facing annular shoulder on said cylinder formed at the uppermost end of said bore, a screw receiving slot formed in each of said arcuate surfaces opening on said bore, a substantially cylindrical clamp ring within said cylindrical bore embracing said arcuate surfaces and said annular shoulder, a plurality of threaded recesses formed in said clamp ring with each threaded recess having a centerline coincident with the center line of one of said screw receiving slots and a screw within each screw receiving slot and the respective threaded recess associated therewith whereby the lower ends of said quadrants are held in position relative to each other.

3. A furniture pedestal in accordance with claim 2 in which each of said quadrants is formed with a downwardly-facing groove exposing an outer surface through which said screw receiving slot extends and said screw has a portion of greater diameter than said screw receiving slot adjacent said outer surface.

4. A furniture pedestal in accordance with claim 3 in which the centerline of each screw receiving slot is directed angularly upwardly into said bore and said outer surface associated respectively therewith is perpendicular thereto.

5. A furniture pedestal in accordance with claim 2 in which a second cylindrical bore extends from said annular shoulder to the upper surface of said quadrant providing a cylindrical opening therethrough for receipt of a cylindrical depending portion of a swivel element.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,973 5/1897 Beaman 248-158 1,673,721 6/1928 Turner 248-165 1,806,600 5/1931 Elderkin 248l 2,347,753 5/1944 Sengpid 248415 2,427,206 9/1947 Frankel 248-158 2,590,159 3/1952 Davis 21765 2,600,547 6/1952 Klein et al. 248-158 X 2,916,241 12/1959 Bischof 248l88 3,078,063 2/1963 Frankl 248188.7 3,151,830 10/1964 Giacornini 248-188] FOREIGN PATENTS 20,690 1/ 1961 Germany.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

ABBOTT, CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS,

' Examiners. 

1. IN A FURNITURE PEDESTAL FOR SUPPORTING AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE ABOVE A SURFACE, SAID ARTICLE OF FURNITURE HAVING A BRACE MEMBER ON THE UNDER SIDE THEREOF WITH A DEPENDING CYLINDRICAL BOSS, THE PROVISION OF A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL STANCHOIN RECEIVING SAID BOSS IN THE UPPER END THEREOF AND INTEGRAL QUADRANT LEG PIECES WHICH FIT TOGETHER AS A SOLID CYLINDER RECEIVED WITHIN THE LOWER END OF SAID STNCHION IN TELESCOPING RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, EACH OF SAID QUADRANT PIECES HAVING ATTACHED TO THE LOWER END THEREOF A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SUPPORT PORTION AND A GROOVE FORMED AT THE INNERMOST PORTION OF EACH OF SAID SUPPORT PORTIONS ON THE LOWERMOST SURFACE OF THE QUADRANTS ALIGNED AND A PLURALITY OF STAPLES, OF OPPOSED QUADRANTS ALIGNED AND A PLURALITY OF STAPLES, EACH OF SAID STAPLES HAVING A PORTION IN OPPOSED GROOVES. 